My Kind Of Fairy Tale
by Akela-Nakamura
Summary: A thousand years ago, the Age of Magick ended. Now, its returning. The world is not ready for the return of magick, and for the people that can wield it. But there's no return policy for unwanted mages. The world is changing, Fairy Tail is rising again, and the people are finding out that the World of Magick was no fairy tale, and that happy endings may very well be the myth. NaNo.
1. Revival

**Hey guys! Okay, listen, as of RIGHT NOW, _Natsu: The Friendly Demon_ is on hiatus! For those of you in the know, you probably already guessed why. For those of you who are confused, let me explain. November is an unassuming month for most people, just known for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. For writers, however, its the Month of Hell. NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month is where you abandon sanity and attempt to write an entire 50,000 word novel (Technically novella) in ONE MONTH. That's right. 50k in 30 days. **

**Although NTFD won't be updated, THIS story, will be updated at least once a day or so. We need to write around 1,667 words a day in order to finish on time. The chapters will probably be shorter than what I do for NTFD, but I hope you enjoy this because I am pulling shit outta nothin' at the moment. I totally didn't prepare this year (Not that I've EVER prepared for this lol).**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and I promise NTFD won't be abandoned.**

* * *

He shouldn't exist. The world he knew, the one that lied under this one, shouldn't exist. He was a thing of flame, of bone and burning blood. He was a part of an age long past, living longer than the age of magick had ever lived. He'd seen war and change, peace and blood. He'd lived, never changing, while the world around him expanded and grew. Built on the ashes of a civilization that burned itself out of existence. This world was new, shiny and thought high of themselves.

The civilization that was built on magick, lived on it, was legend. Only bits and pieces remained, buried deep under the earth.

Or so the world thought.

It had been centuries since Natsu had stepped topside, had left the caverns and twisting tunnels that had once been home. Technically, it had been centuries since he'd _walked,_ but minor details.

With wild pink hair, a pension for fire, and a blatant disregard for rules, he didn't _blend_ in this normal world. This world that was fascinated with magick, studied it, was awed by it, but had no idea how to use it. How to _feel_ the magick that powered the world still. Natsu took in a deep breath, blowing out flame with the exhale.

He hadn't felt this _alive_ in centuries.

He also hadn't felt this alone since the fall of Fiore. The Land of Magick. This land was called Fiore still, but it wasn't the Fiore of history. It wasn't _his_ Fiore. The one that he'd cheerfully walked on with friends, back when the end of life as he'd known it wasn't a possibility. Wasn't a thought. Magick had seemed to die in the culture of the people, but it was still here.

Magick still beat in the air, and it was stronger than it'd been in a millennium.

Natsu wouldn't be the only magickal being waking after centuries of sleep. He laughed, throwing his head back and listening to it echo. He couldn't wait to see the faces that had vanished long ago.

This world spoke of Fairy Tail as a child's story. With fanciful additions and happy endings that hadn't happened.

They'd discover that the real Fairy Tail was no fairy tale.

Natsu had people to find.

The thing about not being around for a thousand years or so, was that _everything_ changed. There were roads where only trees had stood, and forests where there were once towns. He had no idea where he was, no idea where to find those he searched for. His nose was as good as ever, but a thousand years had erased scents from the air. Plus, this world smelled far different from the one he'd known. There was nothing for him to go on. When Fiore had fallen those many years ago, they'd been scattered everywhere. He had no idea where his friends rested.

If only he was more like Lucy or Levy. They'd be able to blend into this world, and find their friends based on legends or some such thing while scouring books in the library. Natsu didn't have the patience for that. Plus, as he'd explained, he didn't _blend_ into this world. He also knew very little about it. He knew it was still Fiore, knew they had legends about the world he'd known, and knew that magick was a thing of the past for them.

Beyond that, he knew little. This world was at once achingly familiar and heartbreakingly different. But Fairy Tail didn't know how to give up, and if it took him another thousand years, Natsu would find his friends.

This world was in for one rude awakening.

* * *

Gray's neck ached. Everything ached, honestly. You'd think centuries of sleeping would leave one feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. Instead, he felt grumpy, headachy, and frustrated. Leave it to Fairy Tail to survive the goddamn end of the world. Now, of course, they would come back together and figure out this different world. Humor sparked, causing a lip to twitch with amusement.

This world was going to lose its shit.

He cracked his neck, winced at the loud sound. Geez, it sounded like he'd snapped his neck. But damn it felt better now. Twisting his back, he felt satisfaction when it cracked the whole length. He could use a damn message. He looked down at his clothes-well, his pants. His shirt was _long_ gone. He'd shucked it off in the middle of battle, and his pants looked about as bad as you'd imagine they would. They were ripped, muddy, and not without blood. The fabric had degraded over the years, to the point that Gray was sure one stiff breeze would leave him pantless.

He hoped his underwear was in better condition, because he doubted a thousand years of 'sleep' had cured him of his stripping habit. He needed new clothes, and it was unlikely there was any to be found here. He stared out over the landscape. Where once an icy mountain had reigned over the landscape, it was now simply rough ground with a scattering of farms. Well, Mount Hakube wasn't a thing anymore. He wondered if it had popped up in another part of Fiore. The world he'd known was gone, but that didn't matter. Fairy Tail was still out there. All he had to do was find it. Deciding to try and see if Magnola was still around, or if he could find a place to buy clothes...wait. He patted his pockets, pulled out his wallet. It was still in one piece, and there was still money inside.

But he was pretty sure his money wouldn't be accepted anymore.

Shaking his head, he scrapped his plan. What was important was finding the rest of Fairy Tail. He had a feeling one might be close. Juvia had been fighting with him when the world had gone to hell. She couldn't be too far.

He just had to find her.

* * *

Fiore was changing. Even the magickless people that populated it could feel the change in the air. Strange things had been happening for two years now. Magickal items had been found and dug up for centuries. Their uses were unknown, and they seemed to be useless now. These items, placed in museums for all to wonder at, suddenly came alive. They glowed with a power that could only be called magick. Weird things happened around these items. Some items vanished, others created force fields. Still others had closed entire museums and research facilities down by causing electrical failure or in the case of a rapier, locking a man in a square lined with a language that had never been documented before.

With artifacts regaining their power, theories spread like wildfire. The word was ending again, they said. Bigger artifacts were next, they whispered. Ones with power greater than they'd ever imagined.

Some even thought the eerily preserved mummies would be revived.

In Crocus, in the National Museum, a set of golden keys glowed with unearthly light, while a startled guide ushered a group of tourists out of the room. On the other side of the museum, a tattered flag with a stylized fairy flapped in a nonexistent breeze. Deep in the archives, a stack of black and white drawings suddenly burst with vibrant color.

News of the events at the National Museum and others around the country exploded. The fairy symbol crashed into the internet, along with several already famous artifacts, only more famous now due to the recent magick surges. Books in the Ancient Library started flowing with ancient runes, and one bound with a headband vanished.

Kardia Cathedral, a church so old that many whispered it was held together with magick, was suddenly as grand as it was when it had first been built. The old stone was still weathered, but fallen columns that the restoration team hadn't gotten to yet fixed themselves. Details in the stained glass and murals lost to time returned, vibrant and new.

Other towns, towns that had once held guildhalls for the mages of the past, had things restore themselves. Near a waterfall, where people often proposed, a tombstone appeared, bearing a name that no one could say ever existed. The symbol on the stone matched that of several flags that had been discovered. In other graveyards, other graves appeared, sometimes right on top of existing ones. In some cases, tombstones appeared where there had never been graveyards, sometimes in people's backyards.

Perhaps the scariest thing that happened were the _things_ in the woods that came from nowhere. Ape-like beings that kidnapped women. Flying fish and giant creatures. Legends and tales come to life. Terror spread, conspiracies spread like wildfire, and riots sparked.

 _The world is ending,_ they shouted, _the old world is returning_.

* * *

 **Before you ask, no, I have no idea what's going on lol. At first I wanted to write a Gratsu fic, as their my secret pleasure, :3, but I couldn't do it (Though I may do some one-shots for them, as I found ADORABLE/DORKY prompts for them lol). For this one I'll go with the normal ships, but I plan on having some VERY AWKWARD Natsu and Gray moments, because I can hehe.**

 **Let me know what you guys think! As always, I answer every review, guest or not.**

 **Oh, and I KNOW the title's a cliche. Its not a concern right now. With NaNo, you'll be lucky if I even edit it, so please ignore obvious issues, as I'll worry about them when the Month of Hell is over.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **P.S. My college friend Megan is doing NaNo as well, for a LOT of Naruto CRACK ships. And I mean CRACK. SHIPS. If you wanna check it out, here ya go! Her name is Megpieee, and you can look her up if the link doesn't work.**

 **s/11594057/1/Forced-Attraction**


	2. The New Age

**Sorry this is late. I don't have classes Tuesdays so its my catch-up day. I had several other things to do. But I made my word goal! (5,000 words in 3 days SAY WHATTT?) Lol. So I may upload another chapter later, or tomorrow night depending. I know there are problems with this, I know it flow better, but I don't care right now. I'll fix it later lol. There is no editing during NANOOOOO.**

 **Enjoy you guys!**

* * *

Natsu really hated the weird looks he was getting. Had these people never seen a guy with pink hair before? Though, to be fair, it was probably the state of his clothes that was attracting attention. They were probably dated, and half destroyed on top of it. He looked like he'd just come back from war. He had, of course, but they didn't know that.

He pressed a hand to his stomach. _Damn_ he was hungry. He didn't have any money on him though. And he had no idea where he was. This town hadn't _existed_ when he'd walked through here last. It was a shortcut to Magnolia, but now with the town here, he had to wonder if Magnolia even existed anymore.

People were giving him a wide berth, and he even saw some people pull their children inside. It didn't insult him. The town had seemed on edge before he'd even entered. He could smell the nerves and fear a quarter mile out of town. From the newspapers he'd seen, odd things had been happening lately. Artifacts come to life. He wished he had money so he could buy one of the papers. He'd like to see what artifacts they had. He wanted to know what was going on.

The world was changing again. It seemed odd that Fairy Tail would once again be around for such an event. A thousand years was long to humans, but a blink of an eye to the universe. The world was constantly changing, moving, evolving. But usually in little leaps, tiny steps towards the next age. This wasn't a little step, this was a great leap. From the way the people were reacting, Natsu didn't figure they were ready for such a thing.

"Aghh!" He groaned. "Why can't things be _simple_ for once? I'd like to be able to make sense of things!" Rubbing his temples, he took a breath. The only thing he could do was find the rest of his friends, and figure out a place in this world. They'd lost time before, and it hadn't been simple to step back into the world. Now they'd all lost a _lot_ more than seven years, and this world was vastly different from the one they'd left behind. They could only walk forward. If nothing else, at least they'd have each other. He just had to figure out where they were in this weird world.

Noticing a Lacrima screen showing the news in a bar, Natsu changed directions. Maybe the news would have something for him to go off of. Some clue as to where his friends were. Everyone stared when he walked in, and the bartender looked like he'd wished he'd locked the door. Natsu scanned the patrons, looking for someone who would be willing to talk. None of them seemed inclined to talk to the bandage-wrapped, pink haired guy with the clothes that seemed seconds from falling to pieces. Shrugging, Natsu sat on a barstool, eyes on the TV.

"Could you turn the sound up?" Natsu smiled at the bartender, trying to seem harmless. From the way the man quickly turned the volume up and ran to other side of the bar told Natsu he'd failed at the 'harmless' thing. Ignoring the stares and the people fleeing out the door, he turned his attention to the news.

The women on screen was talking about the artifacts at the museums across Fiore. They showed a few pictures, but it was nothing Natsu recognized. Some barrier spells had been cast, and other protective spells as well. Natsu figured that the real purpose for most of the "artifacts" hadn't been activated. Just the safety spells to prevent things from being stolen or used incorrectly. Holder type mages were very protective of their magickal items. He knew Lucy hated it when someone touched her keys. He understood that better than a staff though. Her keys summoned _people,_ and those people were her friends. Mess with the keys, mess with the friends.

Plus, she'd told him about a thousand times that they were rare, expensive, and held personal value.

He knew better than to mess with Lucy's keys.

He started to zone out, as there was nothing he hadn't already guessed when suddenly, a picture popped up. He leaned forward.

"The Keys to the Heavens, as historians have called them since their discovery in XX480, have also been affected by the strange phenomenon that people have started to call The Second Age of Magick. Over the years the keys have been blamed for several unexplained instances, such as power outages and floods. The use of these keys is unknown; as it is unlikely they fit into keyholes. They are all marked with a constellation, the gold ones being that of the Zodiac.

"Yesterday, while giving a routine tour, a guide saw the keys glow with what scholars, historians, and archeologists are calling magick. According to these authorities, magick is returning to the world, for reasons unknown. Magick levels are at an all-time high, with levels reaching heights that have never before been recorded. While we've been informed that the world is indeed changing, the government has assured us that based on the knowledge we've gathered of the Land of Magick, Fiore should be able to adapt to magick returning.

"They have also stated that magickal artifacts shouldn't be touched until their uses are confirmed or a text is discovered to reclaim knowledge of their uses. People are warned to stay out of the woods and," The women gave a smile. "To not touch anything that glows."

Natsu tuned out, as the topic changed. So that's what was happening. Things were coming back to life. Who knew when it would stop. Or if it would. It still didn't tell him where his friends were. But he knew one thing, where Lucy's keys were, Lucy wouldn't be far behind.

"What museum were those keys in?" Natsu asked the room at large.

"Who are you?" A women asked. She was young and a heavy bag lay at her feet.

"Natsu Dragneel." He said. He tapped the Fairy Tail symbol on his shoulder. The women's eyes widened then narrowed in unmistakable anger.

"How dare you get a tattoo on a culture we don't understand. For all you know, that mark could belong to a group of murders or something."

Natsu growled before he could stop himself. "Fairy Tail ain't a bunch of murderers lady."

"How would _you_ know?" A man spoke up this time. He seemed to be the women's partner. "The World of Magick and that symbol's time was a thousand years ago. No one knows what it means, not for sure."

"I am Natsu Dragneel." He repeated anger in his veins. "And I am a member of the Number One Mage Guild in Fiore, Fairy Tail. And you're right, our time was a thousand years ago. Our time is also _right now._ You heard the news lady." He jerked his head towards the screen. "Times are _changing._ And you're about to see things that haven't walked this land in centuries."

"T-there's no proof that the people from a millennium ago will return!" The women seemed desperate now. "Artifacts are one thing, people are another! There's no way you could've survived."

"Listen lady, you'll learn Fairy Tail don't know what 'impossible' means." Natsu was enjoying himself. He hadn't felt so fired up in a while. "We're here. We're alive. We're breathing, and we're living. Fairy Tail doesn't just stand aside and let the world pass by, not if we can help it. Now, I'll ask again, where are those keys?"

"In the national museum." The bartender spoke up now. "In Crocus."

"Crocus still exists, huh?" Natsu muttered. "What about Magnolia?"

"Crocus and Magnolia are ancient cities, dating back to the Time of Magick, _everyone_ knows that." The women spoke again, and Natsu figured if she could use magick, she'd be breathing fire right about now. He wondered if it'd taste any good. It'd been far too long since he'd had a fire snack.

"Those keys belong to my friend." Natsu said. "I know she'd like them back. You scholar peeps will be getting more answers than you ever dreamed soon."

"If you're suggesting the National Museum will just _give up_ some of its most valued artifacts to some kid who claims to be from the _past_ then you're _psychotic._ Magick can't be used anymore, stop dreaming!" She slammed a book down, Natsu assumed for emphasis.

"Oh, you'd be wrong about that." Natsu grinned and slide off his barstool. He walked over to the women, letting magick build with every step. He saw the guy rub his arm, as if with a chill. So, they couldn't _use_ magick, but it seemed that some of them could sense it. When he was three steps from the women, smoke curdled in his hair, danced along his skin. Two steps, and he was on fire, burning from head to foot, grinning. He was pretty sure someone passed out.

Damn it was good being back.

If the women's eyes could've bugged out of her head any farther, they'd pop out and roll on the floor.

"Newsflash: The Age of Magick is back, baby, and it ain't goin' anywhere anytime soon." Natsu flicked off the fire, and cracked his neck. He was stiff. He wished he had someone to spar with. Messing with this lady was fun though.

"Wait, wait." The man held up a hand, a light in his eyes very similar to the one Levy, Lucy, and Freed got when they found something _so very interesting_ in a book or some weird old text. "Please, I have so many questions. How did the Age of Magick end? How does magick work? _Why_ does magick work. How are you able to use it? What was the government like? You mentioned a guild, was every mage a member of one? How many were there?"

"Stop!" Natsu said, feeling buried in words. "Listen dude, I ain't the one to ask. I don't have the patience for twenty questions, and I don't know all the technical bullshit. I can tell you that Fairy Tail was the best, and we kick ass. I'm goin' to find my friends, and we're gonna figure this world out. When I do, ask all the damn questions you want."

"This…this defies all logic. We've never been able to prove that magick could bring people back from the dead." The women was sitting now, her eyes staring off into the distance.

"It can't." Natsu said. "We weren't dead."

And with that, he left the bar. He'd spent too much time here. He needed to get to Crocus. Lucy was probably on her way, or would be soon. He'd meet her there.

And they'd get her keys back, if he had to destroy the damn museum to do it.

* * *

Gray was getting frustrated. Just how _far_ could Juvia have gotten? They'd been holding hands when the world had gone to shit. He walked over the earth, wondering just how he was supposed to find one women in this huge valley. With the way the landscape had changed, she could be on the other side.

"Juvia!" He shouted. Dammit this was the girl who had _crawled_ over Tenrou Island just because he'd asked her to get Zeref back. This was the girl who'd swim in fire if he asked her too. _Where was she?_ He didn't want to worry about her. Didn't want to worry about her not surviving for some weird reason or other. He didn't know _exactly_ what had happened, but he had a good idea.

It was all Natsu's fault, of course.

Running a hand through his hair he wished he had someone to help him find her. Even Happy or another Exceed would help, at least they'd be able to search in the air.

"Juvia!" He shouted again, eyes scanning the tall grass for movement. _Dammit._ "JUVIA. Rain women! Dammit, what else does Gajeel call you? MS. DRIP, DRIP DROP!"

He thanked god there wasn't anyone around, watching him go crazy like this. On a hunch, he headed towards the back of the valley. He hoped she wasn't closer to the farms. He didn't want to try to explain just what he was doing half-naked, searching their fields. He'd probably get chased off by some pissed farmer with a shotgun.

Did they still have shotguns?

Shaking his head, he called for Juvia again. Dammit, couldn't she cause a flood or some random rainstorm so he could at least know she was around? That she was alive in this time? He hated the curling tendrils of worry that snaked in his gut. Hated the cold ball of fear in his heart.

"Juvia! Come on!" He walked faster, looking for her blue hair. It should stand out like a sore thumb in the middle of this green and brown field. The goldenrod brushed against the bottom of his ribs, a mild irritant. The rest of Fairy Tail was probably okay. His main goal was finding Juvia, then they could figure out where the rest of them were.

Natsu had probably set something on fire by now.

Oh, what an idiot he was.

"Ice Make: Fairy Tail!" Tapping his fist against his open palm, Gray felt magick flow through him. It was like welcoming an old friend back home. Icy mist flowed around his feet, and some of the goldenrod bent over with the weight of the ice forming on it. Behind him, a giant Fairy Tail symbol shimmered in the sun. Stepping back to admire his handiwork, he could only hope Juvia was around to see it. The farmers were probably shocked, but Gray didn't care. They'd have to get used to things like this. Fairy Tail was nothing if not bold. Looking up to the sky, he wondered if the other guilds were okay. As annoying as Lyon was, Gray wasn't sure he was ready to get rid of that irritant. He was Ur's other student.

He supposed he should worry about him, if only a little bit.

The prick.

The next thing he knew he was on the ground, arms tight around his neck, and the smell of rain and flowers in his nose. Soft hair brushed against his face.

"GRAY-SAMA."

"'Bout time Juvia." Gray grinned into her hair. Tension flowed out of him, relief taking its place. With the two of them together, they'd be able to find the rest of their friends, their family. Here he was, pinned to the ground, spread eagle, a weeping women sprawled over him, near to crushing him with her hug.

"Juvia doesn't understand." She pulled back blinked at him. "How are Juvia and Gray-Sama still here?"

"I've got a theory, but we need to find the rest of Fairy Tail." Gray said, content where he was. "Are you hurt?"

"Juvia is not! Is Gray-Sama?"

"Nah. Little stiff though." He rubbed the back his neck. "Listen, before we go anywhere, I think we need some new clothes." Juvia looked down at him.

"Gray-Sama's shirt and pants are missing."

Startled, he patted his leg. "Dammit! I had pants too." Juvia laughed, her head thrown back, hair haloed in the sun. Her clothes were ripped and dirty, and worn with time. She didn't have shoes, and her hair desperately needed washing. It didn't matter though.

"Juvia is glad to see Gray-Sama is the same as ever."

"I guess a millennium doesn't cure stripping." He joked, propping himself up on his elbows. She got off him, offered a hand to help him up. He didn't need it, but there was no reason to reject the gesture. Once they were both standing, Gray walked over to his ice sculpture. He pressed a hand to it, concentrating. On the smooth surface, words etched themselves. Stepping back, he checked over the words. Satisfied, he gestured to Juvia.

He pretended not to care when she slipped an arm through his.

* * *

 **I love these two far too much! ^^ Hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment is you so feel like it! I love feedback!**


	3. In Darkest Times

**Before you read this, I beg of you: PLEASE DON'T KILL THE AUTHOR. I got stuck okay? I had to make the word count goal! IT HAD TO HAPPEN DAMMIT. I'M SORRY.**

 **Sorrynotsorry.**

* * *

Jellal figured this was his luck. Of everyone in the _entirety_ of Fiore, of course this happened to _him_. Not freakin' Cobra, certainly not Meredy or Hoteye, or hey, _anyone else that can use magick and wasn't a fugitive_. No, him.

He swore the fates conspired against him specifically. Plotted and giggled for strange and odd things to happen to him, just so they could get a good laugh. He hoped they were laughing now, because he was never going to speak of this. Not ever. Crime Sorciere would never let him live this down, and Erza would bust a gut laughing, then tell the rest of Fairy Tail, and _they'd_ never let him live it down either.

Tapping a finger against the glass, he wondered if he was wrong. Wondered if someone else had found themselves behind a display case in a museum. Somehow, he suspected not. At least, not anyone he knew. No, this had 'this would only happen to _Jellal_ ' written all over it. With a sigh, he contemplated a way out. Obviously, this glass wasn't made to contain magick. It would be simple to get out, but he didn't want to draw too much attention to himself. After being a fugitive for eight years or so, announcing his presence without cause to rubbed the wrong way. He was sure the museum would have security, and his breakout would be all over the news.

After all, he was pretty sure he was supposed to be dead.

From what he could see, the room was designed to be a snapshot of time, back in _his_ time. It was designed to look like Crocus, near the square, where he'd been fighting before his time had ended. Apparently, it hadn't ended quite as permanently as he'd thought. He remembered he'd been defending some citizens, wondering if he'd really stood a chance against the army amassed before him.

Then something had happened.

What that _something_ was, he didn't know. He wondered if someone else would have the answers. Of course, to find out that meant getting out of here. Without tripping every alarm in the joint. A task easier said than done when he had no idea what kind of security would be around.

There was _one_ option that he could pull. After all, a thousand years had passed and any record of him being a fugitive was probably long destroyed or lost to time. He could take a page out of Fairy Tail's book and say to hell with consequences. It would take too long to figure out the security measures, and he had people to find. Besides, if his face was plastered all over the news, at least the people who knew him would know where he was last. It might help.

Smiling, he wondered if he'd spent far too much time with Erza and her friends. Natsu had, apparently, rubbed off on him. Pressing a hand to the glass, he activated Meteor. The burst of magick and the speed he gained was more than enough to escape. Alarms screamed and Jellal sighed. He didn't know why Fairy Tail did stuff like this. They must be adrenaline junkies. There were shouts and metal bars crashed down on the doorways. He could only imagine what they'd think when they saw their 'mummy' had come to life.

He supposed he should take it easy on them. They didn't know he'd still been alive when they'd found him and brought him here.

Sure enough, when someone entered, weapon in hand, his jaw dropped to the floor. Glass sparkled in the lights, and Jellal's clothing was nothing if not destroyed. He could only imagine how scared the man was.

"Put your hands up!" Jellal had to admire the fact that the man barely stuttered over the words.

"I'm not here to hurt you." He said, wondering just how one explained the fact that he'd never been dead and was not here to enslave the world or something. "My name is Jellal Fernandez. I am a mage of Crime Sorciere. Please, lower your weapon. I don't want to fight you, but I need to find my friends."

"I-you shouldn't…" The man faltered, but didn't lower his weapon. A gun, Jellal noted, but it seemed sleeker than those he'd seen before, and no magick circle glowed at the barrel.

"Shouldn't be alive?" Jellal finished for him. "I was never dead. It's complicated, but I know I'm not the only one once again walking this world."

He dropped his gun, just let it clatter to the floor. He seemed overwhelmed. Jellal strode towards him, and wasn't sure to be glad or dismayed when the man made no effort to get out of the way. He could hear more guards approaching. Glancing at the man's nametag, Jellal laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Steven," He said. "The world is changing. The World of Magick, the Fiore of the past, never vanished completely. It was simply waiting. Now that magick has returned, beings of magick are returning as well. It's not something to fear."

"Step away from him!" Another voice commanded. This one female. Jellal stepped back with a silent vow. He would not allow himself to be arrested. He wouldn't put Erza through that pain again. Ultear would kill him if he surrendered now, since that meant Meredy would be alone. He'd find her, and the rest of his guild, and meet up with Fairy Tail. A millennium may have passed, but the sins of his past weren't negated by time. He'd see what Fairy Tail was doing and go from there.

"I don't pretend to understand how you're alive, but you're not going to be for long." The women was steadier than the Steven had been.

"Clare, don't." Steve said. "If he wanted to kill me, he would have by now. He busted the bullet proof glass like it was paper."

"What the hell is happening to the world?" Clare shook her head, something like fear in her eyes. Jellal wondered if the world was ready for magick to return. It didn't seem like it. A thousand years without it had caused everyone to fear it.

"Is there a procedure for a thousand year old man...waking up?" Another guard asked, and someone laughed. It was shaky, but a laugh nonetheless. The guns were put away, as it seemed no one thought they'd do anything.

"Listen...I know this is odd, to say the least." Jellal couldn't think of a way to calm these people, except for maybe the truth. "But this isn't the end of the world. It is simply evolving. Change isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes, you'd be amazed what change can create." He closed a palm, opened it to show the small flame that burned there. He wasn't as good with small details as Natsu was with his, but he could create some things. Like the Fairy Tail symbol, and Crime Sorciere's. He could also add a gold tinge to it. "I don't know what you think magick is, but it's not always destruction. Magick is like fire. It can harm a great many things, and if not respected, it will often backfire on its user. But if used right, and understood, it can create, just like fire."

The woman-Clare-walked over to the wall, flipped open a keypad. The metal bars retracted, and the flashing lights stopped.

"Listen, the cops are on their way." She said. "And we've got footage of you. But there's no law against someone breaking free from what was basically a coffin. Nothin' we can hold you for. No reason too. You didn't hurt anyone, and if I woke up behind some glass, I'd be bustin' out too. I hope you find your friends."

"Thank you." Jellal said. Maybe he hadn't done this Fairy Tail's way. As much as they'd rubbed off on him, talking his way out of things seemed to work.

And when it didn't, _that's_ when he showed he'd learned a thing or two from the rowdiest guild in Fiore.

Jellal walked out of the museum, into the Flowering Capital, and let the sun warm his bones for the first time in a millennium.

* * *

Natsu frowned at the fork in the road. One lead to Magnolia. Chances were, someone from the guild was there. He _should_ go see who, and then go to Crocus. Crocus was a bit of a long-shot. There was no telling where Lucy was, and if she knew where her keys were. She'd find out, he had no doubt about that. But it would make more sense to go to Magnolia….

Dammit, where was Happy when he needed him? Happy would help him decide, even if it was a rock-paper-scissors game as the decider. It made more sense to stop by Magnolia, then go to Crocus….Eye twitching, Natsu groaned. He hated making decisions like this.

His mind flicked back to the war with Tartarus. How they hadn't known that Lucy had sacrificed so much to protect them. How the loss of Aquarius had affected her, even after a year.

Decision made, Natsu made his way to Crocus. He'd ride the damn train if he had too. He wasn't going to let Lucy lose another friend. This entire world was an unknown, and she'd feel better with her keys at her side. She was probably scared right now. He hoped to the gods she wasn't crying.

"Hang on, Lucy. Just hang on."

* * *

"Are you _kidding me_?" She couldn't believe. Just couldn't. Of _all_ the things the guild had pulled, the situations they'd survived, the time they'd lost, _this_ was the creme da la creme of it all. _This_ was Fairy Tail's craziest adventure yet. Somehow surviving a _thousand years_ into the _future_.

This had Gray and Natsu's handprints all over it.

Dear Mavis, she didn't know whether to laugh at the absurdity of it all, or bash her head against a rock repeatedly.

She wondered if it was possible to combine the two actions.

"Lucy." Happy looked as freaked as she felt. "Do you think there's still fish in this future?" Lucy burst out laughing, knowing the concern was serious.

"I think there's plenty of fish in this future. Maybe some you haven't tried yet."

"Good!" He frowned, toe kicking a rock. "Lucy...the rest of Fairy Tail is okay, right?"

"Of course they are." Lucy couldn't let herself think otherwise. "We're the strongest guild in Fiore. A thousand years can't and won't change that."

"Do you think the other guilds survived?"

"I don't know. I hope so. We have so many friends there." Lucy bent down and gathered Happy into her arms. "They may not be the number one guild in Fiore, but they're still really stubborn. I don't think any of them would go down without a fight."

"True. Lyon would probably freeze himself. A Lyoncile." Happy giggled. Lucy laughed too.

"I think Jura would lock himself into a rock. And maybe Yuka's eyebrows protected him!" Laughing louder now, Happy grinned up at her. Lucy giggled.

"Good ones Lucy!" Happy praised.

"Thanks, you did good too." As they walked, they bantered back and forth, trying to lighten the mood. Natsu was nowhere to be found, and the absence of hey keys was a weight on the soul. The others had to be okay, but it was impossible to know where anyone was. She and Natsu hadn't been next to each other when the world had changed.

When it had mattered most, they hadn't been able to protect each other.

"Lucy…" Happy said. "It _is_ always more fun when we're together."

"I know, Happy." Lucy rubbed his head. "We'll be together again. I know it."

"We're not to far from where Crocus used to be." Happy said. "We could fly there. Someone's bound to be there."

"Yeah. Maybe we can get a clue as to where my keys are." Lucy agreed. "I hope we run into someone soon."

"Me too."

When they took off, Lucy revealed in the feeling of the wind in her air, and the freedom of flying. It was no wonder Natsu loved this. Even if he'd been able to handle transportation, Lucy figured he'd still choose flying with Happy. Who wouldn't? No sharing, just you and your best friend in the air, the open sky in front of you. She spread her arms out, just _feeling_.

"You're weird Lucy." Happy commented. Lucy just smiled.

"Like you'd want me any different." She couldn't see his face, but she figured he was smiling. The land that rose and fell beneath them was nothing like she remembered. There was a forest where once a pretty meadow had been, and a town that was twice as large as the one she'd known. She could only imagine the changes in the world. It was more than just the landscape. Fiore was Fiore, no matter how it looked. The culture had changed as well. Magick wasn't a normal part of life.

She had to wonder if it ever would be again.

There was no way that the mages from the past age would give up their magick. It was a part of who they were. It was blood and soul. People could express things with magick that words could never hope to convey. A heart could be beared with magick, and tears expressed. Magick breathed, it created and destroyed. It was no miracle. It was born from reason. But the people in this time wouldn't think like that. To them it _would_ be a miracle. It would be a fascination, a strange feature from the past. They would covet it. Fight over it. Magick would be seen as both a weapon of destruction and a prayer for peace.

She wondered if they could get them to see it was neither. Magick wasn't dark or light. It wasn't always shiny and bright. No, it was caught somewhere between the dark and the light. It was no fairy tale. It granted no wishes. It simply was. She wished they could feel magick in their veins. Could feel the pulse of it in the air. Then they'd see. It was like a tree. A miracle of life, but not a miracle by simply existing. It could awe, but it was as common as the blood in Lucy's veins.

Or at least it had been.

"Do you need a break, Happy?" Lucy asked. They'd been flying for a while now. So far, nothing looked familiar. It was hard to tell if they'd passed by what had once been Crocus, or if there would be some sign of what remained of it. It was hard to tell if anything would be left. Some places looked remarkably like the places Lucy had known.

"No," Happy said. "We should be at Crocus soon though."

"I wonder what it'll look like." Lucy said. She should take flights with Happy more often. It was so pretty up here. And peaceful. When they weren't running from crazy people and explosions, that is. Lucy realized that most of her flights with Happy were because she needed to escape, or she was falling to her death, or both.

Mavis, Fairy Tail was insane.

"Let's find out!" She didn't like the sound of that. He sounded far too mischievous. "Max Speed!"

"HAPPY NO!" She'd never flown that fast before! Well, there was that one time on Tenrou, but she'd been more concerned by the fact that she'd been on _fire_.

It was too late though, Happy's speed increased, and the ground beneath her seemed to elongate. The sky, moments ago peaceful, now seemed to go by too fast, too soon. Her eyes watered, and the wind turned vicious. She yelled out in protest, but Happy only cackled in response. Scrambling for something to hold on to-it didn't matter that she hadn't been holding onto anything before, she didn't something _now-_ she wondered how Natsu managed to _fight_ like this! He was more insane than she'd thought.

Something came into view, something large and achingly familiar.

"Crocus!" Lucy gasped out. It was impossible. But there it was, the Blooming Capital, nearly the same it was the last time Lucy had walked through it. Happy's speed finally decreased, and he started descending into the town. When Lucy's feet touched the ground, she collapsed.

"That's insane."

Happy laughed-eviller than she'd expected he was capable of. "How'd you like it?"

Lucy's shoulders started shaking. She threw her head back, and laughed until her sides ached. "Oh my god Happy. That's kinda fun, actually." She gasped out. Natsu had rubbed off on her. But now that she was on the ground, she realized just how awesome going that fast was. Happy beamed.

"Okay." She calmed herself. "Okay, we need to look around."

"Who're we lookin' for?"

"Anyone we know. We can't be the only ones who survived." Though it was her secret fear that they were. She didn't know if she could deal with that. But she had to be wrong. There was no way Fairy Tail had fallen. None.

She refused to believe it.

"Do we know who was fighting closer to Crocus?" Lucy asked. "Besides us, of course."

"I think some of Crime Sorciere was fighting south of here." Happy frowned. Obviously, he was trying to remember more.

"Oh right!" Lucy snapped her fingers. "I think Cobra and Hoteye were to the south and southeast. Ummm, Lamia scale had a few members to the north, I think." She brought back the battle arrangements. It had happened so quickly. First Magnolia, then the rest of Fiore. They'd all ended up under attack.

"Sabretooth was in town." Happy recalled. "Minerva was defending the king and his daughter."

Lucy remembered that. Minerva was crazy powerful. Even more so with the King's guards at her side. "Yeah, which means she might be around the city. I don't remember where the Twins were. Everything was so hectic. Hmmm."

"Yeah. I just remember Minerva 'cause she seemed to happy to take down an army on her own."

"Yeah...she's overzealous like that."

"Sabretooth is a lot like Fairy Tail."

"Yeah, Happy, I don't think that's a good thing. We cause enough trouble."

"Do you think it's the dragon slayers?"

Lucy stopped and looked down at Happy. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, is it the dragon slayers that make us and Sabretooth so crazy?"

"Ummm. I mean, before the Grand Magick Games, Sabretooth didn't cause too much destruction. I really think its exposure to Natsu that makes a guild go crazy."

"If so, I think Fiore's gonna get crazy again."

Lucy laughed. "You'd be right about that, but I don't think it'll be just Natsu causing that. It'll be all of us. This world won't know what to do with so many mages just popping out of the woodwork."

"Or flying cats."

"Or flying cats," Lucy agreed. Mages were one thing. Flying, talking cats? People were going to freak. If they survived the dragons, that is. Mavis knew the dragon slayers were...exhausting to handle, to put it lightly.

"Lucy, look!" Happy trotted over to an outdoor cafe. On the screen, security camera footage was playing. Glass exploded, and a man with a tattoo over one eye stepped out.

"Jellal!" Lucy exclaimed. He was okay! Not who she expected to find, but at least it was somebody. She just wished she knew where Erza was.

"It appears that even 'mummies.'" The women on the screen quoted the statement with her fingers. "Are coming back to life. After a brief confrontation with the guards, the man, dubbed "The Wizard" by the archaeologists who discovered him in XX900, walked out the doors under his own power. Reports say that he is still around town. While he's certainly powerful, magickologists and historians are arguing if the man is truly dangerous. Citizens are advised to treat the man with caution should they encounter him. Historians are hoping to ask him questions about the Land of Magick, its laws and policies. He told guards his name was Jellal Fernandez. Well, Jellal, you've got the world asking questions. Will you answer them?"

"I didn't think Jellal would be so bold about that."

"Mmmhmm!" Happy said. "He's usually...quieter."

Lucy frowned. "You know, they're talking the fact that a thousand year old man woke up pretty well. You'd think people would be panicking more."

"This time is _weird."_ Happy declared.

"I have to agree." It rubbed the wrong way. People should be terrified. They shouldn't be calmly watching a news report about a man waking from a thousand year nap and just chatting quietly with a neighbor. Where was the fear? The wonder? This was _magick_. Something they hadn't seen in a millennium! She didn't want the entirety of Fiore in a panic, but it seemed logical that they would be. Did they think it was a prank?

Lucy looked at the people around her. It was like a punch to the gut. Hollow eyes and staring faces. Plastic features and stiff limbs. They weren't real. It was obvious now. The colors were to harsh. To bright. Their plastic features were too sharp, too straight. Not real, the realization had her stepping back in shock. Nothing was real. The sound of her shoes on the sidewalk was a hollow sound. Echoing off into nothing.

Because nothing was here. Nothing was _alive._

"Aw, too bad." Happy's voice spoke, but it was deeper, smoother than it should've been. "I wondered how long it'd take you to figure it out. You're too smart for your own good, Miss Heartfilia."

Color faded all around her. Sucked out like the breath in her lungs. A deadly cold swept through on the breeze.

"I still need END."

She didn't have the breath to scream.

* * *

 **If I tell you Gray and Juvia get a cute moment next chapter, will that stop you all from killing me? For those of you who have read _Natsu: The Friendly Demon_ , you probably know I like building tension and love me some cliffhangers. That being said...I think this story might be just a TAD more intense than NTFD. Maybe. I don't know yet. Only like 8,000 words into this crazy thing. I'm literally pulling shit outta thin air. Bear with me lol. **

**Anyway, enjoy you guys! I love hearing from ya! Your comments so far have been great.**

 **And I don't mind suggestions. XD**


	4. The Brightest Rise

**I meant to have this up days ago, but things got in the way. Sorry about that! The good news is I'm at 15K. The bad news is today's goal is 16,666. Lol. A while to go yet. But I'm liking what's going down so far.**

 **CUTE GRUVIA MOMENT HERE WE COMMEEEE.**

* * *

Gray couldn't believe it. It was impossible, but it was right in front of him. Just like he'd left it. Well, almost.

Magnolia spread out beneath them, Kardia Cathedral bright in the late afternoon light. Juvia gasped in obviously delight. Magnolia was still around. Still kicking, just like the Mage Guild that had once lived in its heart. He looked past the Cathedral, and his heart stuttered in his chest.

The guild. It still stood, a guardian over the peaceful town.

A weight Gray hadn't known sat on his shoulders vanished. Some things never changed. Magnolia was home, and the guild even more so. They would've found a place, built yet another guild, but there was something comforting about something else existing for so long. He'd feared that this world wouldn't be able to accept them. But whether they knew it or not, the fact that Fairy Tail's guild hall still stood told Gray that this world could live with magick again. Could once again flow and rise with magick right alongside it.

He wondered if someone had beaten them there.

Juvia tugged him down the hill, her laugh breathless and joyful. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes alight. Gray grinned back, letting out a laugh of his own. Then they were racing. To the town, past startled tourists and shops men, past markets and citizens. Past familiar streets and along the river that spoke of home. They dodged through crowds, ignoring the curses and shouts that followed them. Sometimes, they went to the roofs, and jumped and climbed, with one goal in mind.

Home.

There _had_ to be someone else there. Had to be someone to prove that Gray and Juvia weren't alone. That Fairy Tail was still kicking. They burst past the curling, detailed metal fence that politely asked people not to enter the building. Some historical society plaque was posted on the gate, but they paid no mind as they raced to the doors. It was obvious people had been there. Some tools and notebooks lay scattered near the door. Chisels, pry bars and other tools meant to convince things to open were jabbed in the seam of the door. Gray grinned. Like the magick that surrounded Fairy Tail would let just _anyone_ enter. He saw some things he didn't recognize, some tools that were burly and had cords coming out of them.

They smiled at each other, and they each touched a hand to the door. It pushed open, easy as you please, without so much as a creak or a groan. The tools clattered to the ground, their tips bent, their handles mangled. Low lights glowed from the ceiling, and dust covered everything.

"Well Mira ain't here." Gray noted.

"Agreed. Mira would be cleaning." Juvia said. There was no way the barmaid would allow the guild to be in such shape. Unless she was waiting for people to come help her. Read: Scare into doing it for her. Gray searched the shadows, waiting for Mira to pop out with a mop, dust rag and bucket.

"Look up!" A voice commanded.

" _Look up! Look up! Loooook up!"_ Higher voices trilled. Gray grinned.

"Bixlow, you bastard."

The Seith mage hung from a long beam. His arms crossed, his legs holding him up with some odd circus trick. His dolls floated around him, and his tongue lolled out. "Wondered if anyone'd show up."

Gray frowned. Eyes scanning for the rest of Bixlow's usual companions. "Where's Laxus? And the rest of Thunder Legion?" Gray expected Bix to joke about how he wasn't good enough for Gray. Instead Bixlow's tongue vanished, and he frowned. In a quick, easy move, he

flipped down from the ceiling, landing just in front of them.

"Don't know." He admitted. Gray could see that it troubled the taller man not to know. Rise or fall together, that seemed to be the Thunder Legion creed.

"Juvia is sure they are alright." She offered Bixlow a soft smile. "Surely Bixlow knows that the Thunder Legion and Laxus are not easily deterred. Juvia suggests Bixlow has patience."

"She's right." Gray shook his head. "Chances are Freed and Evergreen are chasing Laxus's tail, trying to find him, as he makes his way here." Bixlow's grin returned. They would all worry until every member was accounted for, but assuming the worst right away wasn't the Fairy Tail lway. The members were far too stubborn to give up.

And Gray shuddered to think what, _exactly_ , could take down Laxus and the Thunder Legion. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

"Probably." He looked back towards the bar. "You don't suppose there's still booze back there?"

"Don't know." Gray admitted. "But Mira would castrate you if you messed with her system."

Bixlow shuddered. "Still, a thousand years without a belt, man. It might be worth it." Gray grimaced and pressed a hand to his stomach.

"Honestly, I'm just hoping there's food back there." Gray weighed the odds. Death by starvation, or Mira's wrath? Like Bixlow said...a thousand years without food...it just _might_ be worth it. Bixlow and Gray exchanged glances. Juvia didn't seem to be willing to risk it. She wandered off somewhere else. She loved Gray dearly, but messing with Mirajane was her line, apparently.

Gray couldn't blame her.

Like thieves they crept towards the bar. Bixlow's dolls circled, sentries on duty. Still, dread iced down Gray's back. Mira could be back any second. Or she might've already been there….waiting. Neither Gray nor Bixlow seemed to think creeping was going to do anything. So. with a shot of speed, they launched themselves over the bar, and into the pantry. Eyes scanned for something edible.

"You gotta be kiddin' me." Bixlow groaned, smacking his helmet against the wall. The dull ringing sound it caused made Gray wince. That couldn't have felt or sounded good. Still, he felt like doing the same thing.

"This place is in _perfect_ condition and there isn't a pickle jar with juice back here."

"Dude, the way I'm feelin' I'd ear the _jar_ , the juice as a bonus." _Bonus, bonuss!_ Bixlow's dolls could be creepy sometimes, the way they repeated their master.

"I guess we gotta go figure out if our money's worth anything." Gray said after a moment.

"You got money in your underwear? That's impressive." Gray just groaned. He'd forgotten his lack of clothing. He hoped there was some spare clothes in the guild. Though with the pantry being empty, he didn't bet on it.

"Gray-Sama!" Juvia called. Gray smiled. That was something he'd missed in his millennium of...sleeping, he guessed.

"Lucky bastard." Bixlow said with affection. He walked off towards Juvia before Gray could answer, giving Gray a rap on the head while he passed. Bixlow had almost sounded jealous.

"Gray-Sama, Juvia found clothes! Some for Bixlow as well."

"All right!" Bixlow's clothes were ripped and thin. Not as bad as Gray's _lack_ of clothing, but he could use the change.

"Juvia you're a lifesaver." He walked over to her, hoping she hadn't picked some odd clothing.

"You're just gonna ditch them in five minutes." Bixlow rolled his eyes. Juvia handed Bixlow his clothes, and the Seith mage vanished into one of the many rooms that dotted the guild. Gray grumbled. So _what_ if they'd be gone in five minutes? At least his underwear would be new. And he was sick of wearing these filthy rags.

"Thanks Juvia." She'd changed too. She wore a lighter garment, all in blue, as was her usual. The skirt hit her ankles, but a slit made sure her Guild Mark could stand out when she walked. Bits of skin were visible where the shirt beared them just above her hips, like something had clawed her. She wore no sleeves, unusual for her. Instead of her wool hat, she wore a beanie, and her hair tumbled around her face. He took the clothes from her, knowing he had to comment on the new outfit, but not knowing what to say. Something hot and not altogether unwelcome twisted in his chest. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, those blue eyes sucking him in. He owed her. Owed her an answer. He'd told her a thousand years ago he'd give her one.

It never seemed like the right time. The words never seemed to be right. Still, he needed to do _something._

He bent down-it was times like these when it hit him just how much shorter she was-and tapped his lips against her cheek. A finger brushed against the other. Beautiful color bloomed under her skin, a rose touched by rain.

"To hell with it. Just to hell with it." He dropped the clothes, put his other hand on her cheek and finally, _finally_ tasted her lips. He'd told her that when everything was over, he'd give her his answer. Said he didn't want to be _distracted._

Bullshit. What utter bullshit. He'd been running still. He'd known he couldn't keep it up forever. It wasn't fair to her. Wasn't fair to hurt her like he had been. He didn't know what to do with all the feelings that woke within him when she was around. Couldn't pin down when they are first started. He'd been trying so damn hard to tread water. To keep afloat in a sea of emotions he told himself he didn't want. Didn't need.

Now, he drowned oh, so willingly.

He ripped the beanie off, brushed his fingers through her hair. She tasted like fresh dew, sweet but fleeting. She was so _warm_. A warmth he craved.

If he'd known drowning felt this good, he'd've done it long ago.

He was a thousand and some odd years too slow, but it _was_ better late than never. He pulled away, and wondered just what the hell he was supposed to do now. Kissing, it seemed, was the easy part. He didn't have to think.

"Gray-Sama." Her voice was a whisper. "Is this Gray-Sama's answer?"

"Yeah." He breathed out. "Hell yeah."

"Dude, it's about freaking time."

"Shut _up_ Bixlow."

* * *

Natsu hated this new world, if only for the fact that roads _were completely different from what he remembered._

Oh, and they'd made new, even more torturous forms of transportation. Boats sucked, but at least he could sort of wiggle himself out and swim instead. Cars and carriages were worse, as there was no easy way out of them, but at least they couldn't go as fast as trains-unless Erza was driving.

Never let Erza drive.

Trains had been the worst. No one he knew was driving, so no one would take sympathy and stop. There was no easy way out, though he could sometimes escape through a window, if Erza didn't knock him unconscious before then. Trains were constantly in motion, save for the stations. The blessed stations.

But this future would had topped even _that._ They'd made things called _planes._ They flew, like Happy, but without magick and feathery wings. He didn't know how they did it, it seemed impossible without magick. Shouldn't something that big just drop out of they sky? Not only were they transportation, they were freaking _dangerous_ forms of transportation. And this coming from the dude who lit himself on fire with regularity. It shouldn't be possible, but the option was out there.

All he knew was there wasn't a window big enough to get out of, the doors were locked, and he'd be very, very far up.

And _moving_.

He'd been trying to find the quickest way to Crocus, and had been directed to the airport, where he'd watched Jellal's little break out on the news. He'd thought, _good_ , at least _someone_ he knew would be in the capital. But then he'd figured out what a plane was. He'd known it'd be some form of transportation. He'd known that kind of torture would be involved. He just hadn't known it'd be so _crazy._ Seriously, who willingly got on one of those things?

He'd run out of the airport screaming like a madman, wishing to Mavis he had Happy with him. But his little buddy was AWOL. He could only hope Happy was with Lucy. It'd make it easier. So now he was walking to Crocus, something that would have been tedious but not impossible in his own day. But now, now it seemed impossible. The roads didn't go where he thought they should. It didn't make _sense_.

The left fork was _supposed to_ circle back toward Magnolia, the fork behind him? Hargeon by way of a few other small towns. The one to his right? _That_ was supposed to go towards Crocus. Instead, it lead to a town he'd never heard of. He could probably still get to Crocus that way, but it'd probably take longer. Deciding that the road signs were useless, Natsu walked off the path, and made his own way. The landscape may have changed, but a few key places were in the same place. Magnolia, for one and Crocus for the other. Knowing that, Natsu didn't need no damn lying signs. He could find his own way. He'd once known Fiore like the back of his own hand. It was frustrating that he didn't anymore. It was like getting lost in his own house.

Speaking of, he wondered if his house still stood. It was once thing for big towns like Crocus and Magnolia to still be around, but for his little house in the woods, time and weather would've taken their toll. Especially since he doubted someone would've thought to maintain it.

Oh, well, if it was gone, he and Happy would build a new one. Bigger this time.

Still grumbling under his breath, he almost didn't notice the figure trailing behind him. The wind was at his face, so he couldn't smell whoever it was. Whoever it was, was loud and clumsy. If he hadn't known any better, he'd've thought it was Lucy.

But Lucy, even at her most exhausted, didn't huff like that.

Oh, no. He knew that sound. Grinning, teeth exposed, Natsu whirled around. He nearly laughed when he saw he was right. It was a vulcan, one that thought it could sneak up on Natsu Dragneel.

Yeah, right.

He didn't have time to play. It was a pity, but it was true. He needed to find Lucy, and together they'd find the rest of Fairy Tail. Fire boiled in his veins, scorched the air. It never failed to feel like an adrenaline rush. Fire in the palm of his hand. What could beat that?

Well. He could think of a couple things…

The vulcan charged, too stupid to realize how outmatched it was. Now Natsu did laugh, before sucking up a lungful of air. A vulcan didn't require a roar to defeat, infact, it was probably overkill, but Natsu was feeling amped up. He let it rip, joy echoing through him as the fire erupted. It was times like these that he felt as close to his dead father as he could be without being dead himself. The vulcan, as suspected, didn't stand a chance. It was blasted away, along with a good bit of trees.

Oh, well.

With the danger-as minimal as it had been-gone, Natsu continued on his way. He wished he had someone with him, just so he had someone to talk too. He also wanted a good fight, but he didn't have time for that. He stepped up his pace, trying to figure out how far Lucy had been from the capital when the world had erupted.

All Gray's fault, now that he thought about.

She'd been to the...south? of the capital, he thought. He wasn't sure anymore. With all the assignments that'd been given out, they'd blurred into locations and names, neither matching up correctly. Plus, it'd been given out via telepathy, which meant overlapping voices and thoughts. All he'd known was the plan was to disperse Zeref's army. Separate the Spriggan, and take them to battlefields of _Fairy Tail's_ choosing.

And the other guilds that had helped too. Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus had set up traps to take out mass amounts of the weaker members that swarmed in droves. Sabretooth, not to be outdone, had rained down hell with Sting and Ogra combining their respective powers. It wasn't a Unison Raid, but dodging _both_ Ogra's black lightning and Sting's rays of light had proved difficult, if not impossible for Alvarez's foot soldiers. Of course, Natsu had only heard this commentary with telepathy, having been far too busy fighting Zeref to pay much attention or be there himself.

Thinking of that particular battle, Natsu rubbed his stomach, where an ache lay still. That'd been a freaky battle. With Zeref alternately crying or declaring that Natsu was to die. He'd also spoken like Natsu should _know_ who END was. Like Natsu knew who the frick Zeref's 'greatest demon' was. If he _did_ he'd've beaten the bastard already. That was common sense.

Shaking off his thoughts, Natsu focused on finding Lucy. He didn't know what became of Zeref. Didn't know if he was still alive, or if any of the Spriggan were.

All he knew was that if they were, Fairy Tail would face them once more. Even if it meant the end of the world.

Again.

* * *

 **I love how Gray and Natsu blame each other, and later on Gajeel blames BOTH of them lol. Ahhh. This freakin' guild.**

 **As always, suggestions are welcome, and reviews are appreciated!**

 **Anyway, enjoy you guys! I got writing to do!**

* * *

 **GUEST REVIEWS:**

 **AnimalLover: Join the club. I'm still figuring out what's going on lol. Haha! I'm glad you're feeling such things. I hope the coming chapters answer some questions. HAHA. It was such fun to write! Fear'll do that to you. Yeahhhhh. She might be right. XD. Yeah...I'm sure its a factor. Natsu's pretty intense haha. Hehe. I think you'll like what happens in THIS chapter betterrr! Hehe, I...don't know yet. It'll be explained. I think. I hope. ahhhh. DOESN'T HE? I hope he makes an entrance in the Manga lol. And she might have her whip, Happy wasn't actually there, and things are GOING DOWN.**


	5. Hope in Their Eyes

**OMG. I'm soooo sorry. I meant to have a lot more chapters up by now. I suck, I know. I've just been keeping up with the word counts. Okay, here's the next chapter, and I'll probably put another one up tomorrow night or Friday. (SOMEONE REMIND ME AND GET MY BUTT INTO GEAR PLEASE!)**

 **The good news? I'm at 30,000 words.**

 **The bad news? Shit's going down. HAHA. And yeah, I've been keeping tabs on the latest Manag chapters. Haven't _read them_ ,but I've seen enough to make things...interesting. **

**Enjoy!**

 **P.S. FOR THOSE OF YOU WILL TUMBLR, my URL is Akela-Nakamura. I'm in something called Wheel of Writings. Basically ten artists write a one-shot for a prompt, and then anonymously submit them to the Wheel of Writers blog. Then, you lovely people get to guess who wrote what. (There's a list of people who entered the round). SO IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW MY WRITING WELL ENOUGH, give it a test!**

 **I dare you. I betcha can't finnnd meee.**

* * *

Jellal wondered how he managed to get into situations like this. Like the whole 'mummy in the museum' thing, stuff like this seemed to happen only to him. He was _trying_ to make for his past, and the universe was _not_ helping. He'd managed to walk away from the museum, but he didn't think he could talk his way out of this one. And he was good at talking his way out of things.

How was it, that he always managed to get caught by the police? And he hadn't done anything illegal this time either.

At least he didn't think so.

He'd been trying to find some familiar faces in Crocus when the police had surrounded him. A sense of deja-vu had overwhelmed him, and he expected Natsu launch himself at the police, yelling how he wouldn't let them take Jellal away. Of course, he didn't, but the police kindly explained they only wanted to ask some questions.

So Jellal found himself in an interrogation room, probably one of the nicer ones-certainly the nicest he'd ever seen-being stared down at by several people. He watched the clock, promising himself that if this lasted longer than an hour or so, he'd excuse himself.

He had guildmates to find.

Meredy was going to kill him. He didn't know for what yet, but she'd find something to be angry over he was sure, if only to hide the fact that she'd been frightened for him.

"We watched the footage." A stern older women with hair so severely tied back it was a wonder it didn't snap spoke. She was the head of the police department in Crocus. "And we want answers. It doesn't make sense that people that should be a thousand years dead are breaking out of mummy cases. From what we've gathered on the World of Magick, a massive, life-and-land altering event took place. It seemed to wipe out the magick of the world, including the mages, and anything alive that held magick within its body. What happened is unknown, and while magick levels are rising, it's impossible for you to be alive."

"You say it's impossible, and yet I'm here." Jellal was too used to be interrogated. At least these people couldn't find out that he'd once been a wanted criminal. Unless the Era came back….He filed that away as a problem for another day. "I don't understand what happened either. I know I was not the cause. We were defending Fiore from an invasion from the Alvarez Empire, lead by the darkest mage of all history, Zeref. I can tell you the invasion was massive. The mage guilds, Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Mermaid Heel, Quatro Cerberus, Lamia Scale, Sabretooth, and mine, Crime Sorciere, were all fighting." Best to just include his into the lineup so as not to put any suspicion his guild. Until he found the rest of the members are figured out what they wanted to do-whether or not to come clean on their pasts, or live as it hadn't happened, he wasn't going to say anything. It would be a group decision.

"And we were losing." Jellal continued. The woman was all ears. He wondered if she had more information than she was letting on, and was simply trying to match facts. "Their army was huge, not all skilled mages, but skilled enough to be a challenge. And that didn't include Zeref's top men, the 12 Spriggan. We were separated, but on our own turf, while outnumbered we don't give up easily. All I remember is trying to think of a strategy to win, to turn the tide. Then there was something like an explosion." Jellal remembered...floating. Being a part of traces of magick that were too small to make a difference. It was too hard to explain the sensation. Of being aware of large changes in the world, but being unable to form opinions or feel anything about it. "Then I woke up in the museum."

The severe woman paced, her stride long and graceful. Her name was Annette, a fanciful name for a women who looked like she didn't believe in fairy tales.

"We've never been able to piece together the whole story." Annette said finally. "I don't know if you read the plaque next to the case you were in, but historians and archaeologists figured you were a member of a mage guild, based on the mark on your clothes. We knew of the war, but with so many emblems, it was difficult to figure out the aggressor. It was impossible to say motives, who was in the right, if either side was.

"We're in a quandary. We have no idea who to believe, we have almost nothing to back your claims. Plus, you're the only one we've been able to interview at this time. I have nothing to arrest you with, yet some of the people are calling for it."

"I can't give you anything to believe me." he said. "I can do nothing to turn back time and show you the truth. To give you all the details on the world I lived in. The reality is that the world's magick is returning. Mages and monsters, beings the likes of which you've never seen, are returning. You can't stop it, no more than I can turn back the clock. But you can figure out how to live with it." Jellal stood. "I need to find my guildmates."

"Wait." Annette handed him a folded paper. "This is a map of where we've found magickal objects of great importance, including you. Your friends may be around there."

"Thank you." Jellal gratefully left the room, hoping he could focus on what was important, instead of talking endlessly. He didn't have time for more interruptions. He needed to find his guild.

And he needed to find Erza.

* * *

The decision to wait and see if guild members came to them rubbed Gray the wrong way. He didn't want to sit around and hope someone walked through the front door. They could be in trouble for all they knew! Who knew if the Spriggan were still around? Or Zeref himself. They couldn't just sit and do _nothing_. It was so against the Fairy Tail way that Gray wondered if they _had_ gotten a little tamer in their thousand year absence. Bixlow, at that moment, decided to crash from the ceiling, obviously failing at whatever crazy acrobatic move he was attempting.

No, no they hadn't.

Maybe they just had a tad more patience? Logic? It made sense that other members would try to come back to the guild. It just sucked waiting.

Bixlow had brushed himself off at this point, and seemed just as bored as Gray.

"Hey!" Bixlow's tongue lolled out. "What do you say to a rematch?" His babies chattered around him, as eager as their master.

It took Gray a second, and he grinned as it clicked. Oh, here was something to _do._ He didn't usually start fights-unless they were with Natsu-but he could make an exception. He looked over at Juvia, who blushed and rolled her eyes. They needed to talk, alone, but having an answer was apparently enough for now.

"I'm game." Gray stood from his barstool, cracking his neck.

"Juvia suggests Gray-Sama and Bixlow fight outside. If Master returns to find the guildhall trashed but unaged, he will not be pleased." Juvia had that no-nonsense look on her face. It didn't happen often that she was stern to him, but he'd learned that even though she loved him, it didn't mean she wouldn't skewer him if he ticked her off.

"She has a point." Bixlow conceded. Apparently he recognized the look too. Probably had too, considering he worked with Evergreen. "There's room out back."

"Dude, Makarov'll will cry tears of joy if he finds out we actually went _outside_ to fight."

"He'll figure we're lying." Bixlow laughed. "Roll his eyes and mutter under his breath while looking for damage."

"Yeah." Gray welcomed the sun when they stepped outside. "So, how serious we goin'?"

"Oh, you know. The usual."

"Oh," Gray flicked his glance at Bixlow. "Well, better get started. Ice Make: Lance!"

"Oh, come on. I _know_ you got more than that." Bixlow flipped and his dolls crashed through the ice, chattering wooden relics of destruction. It was on from there, each launching attack after attack, gauging how much the other had improved since the last time they'd battled.

The answer was a lot.

Bixlow had _somehow_ gotten more flexible, which Gray had figured to be impossible. His dolls were faster, and harder to trap into ice. Their lasers were more powerful, and they were cheeky little bastards. Attacking as a group or in singles.

But Gray knew his ice was stronger, he was faster, and he had more experience under his belt than last time.

Plus, Freed wasn't there to cheat with his freakin' enchantments.

It was fun, Gray discovered, to have a battle where the fate of the world wasn't on his shoulders. Where he wasn't blinded by hatred of the person he was fighting. Where there wasn't the blood of his comrades on the ground, and nothing was at stake except for ego.

"Go Gray-Sama!"

Though, ego and pride were not to be taken lightly. Gray had never lost twice to the same opponent, and he wasn't starting now. Speeding up, Gray increased his ice creations frequency, heading straight for Bixlow himself. To hell with the dolls. Of course, fighting the freaky-flexible Bixlow wasn't an easy task. He seemed to bend out of the way of moves that should hit, moving his body in ways that didn't seem possible.

And his kicks hurt like _hell_.

Trying to get the advantage, Gray covered the ground in ice, hoping to slow down Bixlow's movements a bit.

Instead, the bastard starting _ice skating_.

"What are you _doing_?" Gray faltered, a half-formed plan shattering like ice, and Bixlow crashed to the ground, as ungraceful as Gray had ever seen him.

"Um, hi Mira." Gray looked over at the white-haired woman. Wait… "Mira! You're okay." Gray slid over to where she stood, looking for Elfman and Lisanna.

"Of course I am." Mira laughed. She didn't _seem_ mad. Man, it was a good thing they were outside, otherwise they'd've been demon food. Bixlow wandered up.

"Where are your sibs?" He asked. "Or did Elfman run off to find his precious Evergreen?" Bixlow's grin was delighted, and his babies cackled with him.

"They're inside," Mira said. She seemed to ignore the comment about Evergreen and Elfman. "Evergreen's not with you?"

"No," Bixlow turned a bit more serious. "We got separated. We decided to stay here and wait for people."

"Sucked waiting," Gray muttered. "But it seemed better than tearing apart Fiore…"

"Juvia told Gray-Sama someone would come." Juvia slipped her hand into his. A part of him still wanted to pull away from it, with both Mira and Bixlow there, but he ignored that part of himself. "Now we know the Strauss siblings are okay. Juvia is sure more people will come."

"I'd better get some food going then. I'm sure people will be hungry. Have you eaten?" Mira smiled brightly at them.

"No." Gray said. "We...well we didn't think there would be any food in the guild." He decided not to mention they'd poked around the pantry.

"Oh, you'd be surprised." The look in Mira's eyes told Gray she knew. He and Bixlow exchanged glances, and hope Mira would be lenient. "I bet you boys are hungry, after fighting like that. Come get something to eat." She turned around, dress tattered and torn, and still managed to look elegant. "Oh," She looked at them over her shoulder. "And next time, stay out of the pantry."  
"Yes, ma'am." Gray and Bixlow intoned. Juvia laughed and pulled Gray inside, Bixlow close behind.

It was nice to know that some things never changed.

* * *

Rumors spread like wildfire. One suspicion is turned into a conspiracy, where everyone and everything is suspect. Fear turns into hatred, and hatred breeds ignorance and blindness. It is times like these that people can be divided. When the smallest spark can ignite an explosion.

And like an explosion, hatred cares not for the people caught in the blast.

Worldviews can shatter like a mirror, and the many new facets reflect a change no one can stop. No one can piece it back together without hurting themselves. The impossibility of the mirror returning to its original condition drives anger and frustration, which when combined with hatred burns in the blood like poison. It is this that causes war. It is this that causes discrimination.

It is this that fuels the fire that is fear.

We fear what we cannot or will not understand. We fear change, as much as we fear things forever remaining the same. Magick is no miracle. No more than trees growing or water falling is. And yet it is as feared as it is revered.

It is these facts, and many, many more which spell trouble for the return of magick.

* * *

Lucy woke to softness. The air brushed against her skin like a lover's lips, though she'd never felt such a thing before. What lay at her back, whispered against her skin, was supple as silk. It was just warm enough to be comfortable, and not be too hot to lay in the sun. She felt it on her skin, felt the rays that warmed her bones. She felt content and happy, though she couldn't figure out what made her so happy. She remembered shock and fear, a voice, but it all seemed so far away.

Like it'd never happened.

No, no it hadn't. No. Nothing bad could happen here. It was much too calm here. Magick breathed here. It breathed and it lived, just as she did. It was content here, as she was. No, magick was no miracle, but it sure felt like it sometimes. She didn't want to open her eyes, so she didn't. What was the point? She _felt_ enough that sight wasn't necessary. Her friends were safe.

That was all that mattered.

* * *

 **Yes, I like picking on Jellal. No, I'm not gonna tell you what's up with Lucy. Yes, I know I am evil. You all love me anyway.**

 **So I'm glad you guys like this, even though it's not edited and pretty rough and I'm switching perspectives a lot and I think I'm out of character a lot-and damn there's a lot wrong with this thing. It's gonna suck editing it when this is all over. (HELPPPP). But it's fun, and I hope its interesting. (Though you guys seem to like it a lot).**

 **Thank you so much for putting up with this, and my spotty updates. I know I'm horrible.**

 **But please check out the Wheel of Writers blog, who knows? Maybe you'll find your next favorite writer-and test yourself too see if you know my writing well enough to pick it outta nine others.**

 **Comments are ALWAYS welcome! I meet so many awesome people, just by them commenting. I promise I don't bite.**

* * *

 **GUEST REVIEWS:**

 **AnimalLover: You're welcomeee. Haha, the building DID restore itself, and magick is a mysterious thing. I KNOW. HOLY GODS GRAY. WAY TO DRAG THAT OUT. Haha, she would. Totally. Lucy-kick of death. PPFFFFFTTT. Because Natsu's nauuuughtyyyyy. Yeahhhh, I think I might have a direction, but we'll see. I think its getting clearer, lol. YES. Sorry, that's what I meant. My Jelly Bean needs to make a HELL OF AN ENTRANCE TO MAKE UP FOR HIS ABSENCE. Ohhh, questions. You'll seeeee. I make no promises. lol.**


	6. Shock to Their Hearts

**Thanks to Oh-My-Mavis for reminding me to post a chapter! She rocks. I think this is just going to add questions, but hey. That's what I'm good at.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Natsu was getting a little sick of walking. It seemed much farther to Crocus than he remembered. Which was highly annoying. Lucy was probably already there, and on her way to Magnolia. Or looking for him. With her, it was hard to tell what she'd deem logical. There was nothing to do but keep walking. What choice did he have? It occurred to him that even if the plane hadn't been an instrument of mega-torture, he wouldn't have the money to pay for it anyway. Or for a train, the lesser of the two evils. Besides, he usually liked walking. He'd just gotten used to having someone with him.

He scented the air, trying to get a gauge of how far the next town would be. He was getting used to this world's scent. He was figuring out what he could ignore, and what he couldn't.

 _There._

He recognized the scent of Crocus, flowers and people, plus a few that had no name, but said _Crocus_ to him. And a new one, _age._ Old magick, old buildings.

Secrets.

Crocus held more secrets now than ever before, even after the whole Eclipse incident. He wondered if it had anything to do with the relics stored there now. Lucy's keys were just one thing that the people of this world had no idea how to handle. Who knew what else was in that museum? Things that returning mages were going to want. Things that the people of this world couldn't control. Hell, with the magick returning, spell scrolls and other books could become highly dangerous. If they had black magick in that building, people could be killed. They were lucky the only things activating right now were protection spells and barriers. If any _real_ magick was exposed...well, the world was already on the edge of panic. Something like a spell gone wild could send them over the edge. It wouldn't be impossible either, considering just how sensitive some spells were.

If magick was waking in the land, who was to say it wasn't waking in the people? Natsu had no idea how things were working right now, or why they'd been spared. Or why the magick had vanished in the first place.

He was still blaming it on Gray.

But he figured that magick could be returning in the people too, and not just the ones from a thousand years ago, but from the ones that lived _right here, right now_.

The aftershocks of magick's return were only just beginning.

This was an earthquake that couldn't be measured on any scale. It couldn't be stopped and there was no preparing for the aftereffects, because no one knew what they were. Just like a fire with fresh fuel kept on burning, magick kept on rumbling. Changing everything in its path.

Natsu started to run. Crocus was _close_ , he could smell it. Start to hear it. Fear and nerves were in the air, on a much larger scale than the town he'd entered before. More people, more theories, more paranoia, and more _fear._ The trees started to thin, and he could catch glimpses of the city. His eyes found the arena first. No flags cracked in the stiff wind, but it didn't look as, well, _old,_ as he'd expected. Either someone had restored it, or magick had preserved it.

The city was as he remembered, row upon row of houses and shops. People milled about, tourists and residents merging until it was impossible to tell who was who. Flowers bloomed from containers, from window boxes and hanging pots. Beyond the colors of the flowers, he could see the rich greens that accented the bright blooms. He kept on running, eyes scanning for signs of Lucy, or someone else he knew. He slid to a stop once he reached the outskirts. People were already starting to stare. Natsu's gaze locked onto a guard.

He strolled over, people parting from his path without a mutter of protest. The guard eyed him warily.

"Can I help you?" The guard seemed to look for injury, but despite the state of his clothes, Natsu was unharmed.

"Yeah, can you point me to the museum?"

"Sorry, sir, but the museum has been closed until further research on the magickal artifacts can be completed."

 _Crap._ "I know." Natsu lied smoothly. "I'm meeting a friend outside of it. She's mad about history, the giant weirdo."

The guard once again took in the state of Natsu's clothes, but this time he noticed the emblem on Natsu's shoulder. His eyes narrowed. Damn, Natsu thought, he should've asked a shop keeper or something. He hadn't thought about the fact that the cops would be suspicious of _anything_ even slightly out of the ordinary.

"Anyone with a emblem has to talk to Annette. She's head of police here. She just wants to figure out what happened. Please, come with me."

Natsu groaned. "I don't _know_ what happened. Alvarez attacked man, the world went crazy, and here I am." He really didn't have time for this. "I can't answer questions. I gotta find Lucy. The gold keys you got in that museum are hers. She's gonna want them back."

"Wait!" The guard called out as Natsu took off. He'd find the museum on his own. It couldn't be that hard. Maybe he could just follow the scent of old magick. Lucy's magick. He clamored onto a roof, nose in the wind. People were openly staring now, and he was sure that guard had called that Annie chick about him, but it couldn't be helped.

 _There_.

He jumped down, headed straight for what he wanted. It didn't take long for him to find the museum. It was big, bigger than he'd expected. It was clearly marked, and obviously closed. Guards milled about outside, and it wouldn't take them long to pick him out of the crowd. They seemed to be more on alert than what he'd figure. It couldn't be the most exciting place to guard. Who'd break into a museum?

He would.

They must've been informed of his arrival. They must've figured he'd make his way over sooner or later.

Maybe sooner than they'd expected, considering they didn't think he knew where he was going. He scanned the entrance, noting the front was well guarded. He _could_ cause a scene. He could cause a very large scene. The situation practically begged for it.

And he could also cause panic.

If this had been a thousand years ago, he'd have charged in, grabbed Lucy's keys and ran out cackling. But now, with the smell of fear sharp in the air, and the stiffness in the limbs of the guards that gave away their apprehension, he knew it wasn't the way to go. He wished he could, because it would be so much simpler. But it wasn't worth making the world believe that Fairy Tail, and mages in general, were people to be feared. Fairy Tail had no reputation here, and he couldn't start one on such a sour note.

But he didn't know the layout of the museum, didn't know what back entrances there were, or if they were as heavily guarded.

Plan making sucked.

He secreted himself in an alley, wishing he had Happy. Then he could just _fly_ to the roof and break in from there. He wouldn't have to attack the guards, but it'd still cause some sort of problem on some level, he was sure of it. Lucy was no much better at this sort of thing, which was why he needed to find her. They were _her_ keys, after all. She'd probably just march right up to the front door, demanding to be let in. She would've known where the museum was, probably, without having to ask a guard. History was something that interested her. Not as much as _writing_ and her keys did, but his Luce was smart.

A lady exited the museum, dressed in a sharp suit. She talked to one of the guards, and handed him a paper. He jolted, seemed surprised, then nodded. The guards began to shuffle away, relief evident in their strides. Another man exited the museum, a large sign in his hand. Both he and the woman held it up, while some workers tied it off.

" _By decree of the Queen, any magickal artifacts that belongs to the revived mages from the Age of Magick shall be returned to them if they show their Guild Mark and are approved by the Queen's Magickal Consultant."_

Natsu blinked in shock.

Well, if this was a trap, he had no choice but to walk into it.

* * *

Gajeel figured that this was his luck. The world had basically imploded in his face, and nothing made sense anymore. Levy and Pantherlily had vanished. He'd been...revived, he supposed was the term, a little less than twenty-four hours ago. It had been one thing to lose seven years, but a _thousand?_ That was just pure insanity.

To top it all off, he was wandering in tunnels deep under Fiore, the air so stagnant and _old_ that it was impossible to tell the way out. He'd gotten a bit of fresh air a time or two, but he'd been unsuccessful in finding an exit. It wasn't pitch black, either. There was just enough light from iridescent crystals shoved into the rockwork for him to make his way easily. His nose would've guided him had it been darker, but it was nice to be able to see if he was about to fall into a drop off.

Still, he'd come close a time or two.

He couldn't blast his way out. Levy and Pantherlily could be down here, and the the tunnels wouldn't be able to sustain an attack. Hell, he'd _yelled_ once, and the place had trembled. He hadn't even been that _loud._ With nothing else to do, he'd decided to try and sniff them out. His nose wasn't as good as Salamanders'-not that he'd ever admit it-but it worked well enough. For once, he wished he had that Cobra dudes ears. He'd know in an instant if Levy and Pantherlily were down in this blasted place.

So he explored, calling out for his friends, but not too loud. Levy wouldn't hear him, not unless she was just around the next corner, but Lily might. His cat was better than the others. He probably had better hearing too.

The place was massive, and completely unlike the border town he'd been defending before the world had gone crazy. He didn't know what the hell happened, but he blamed it on Salamander and his sidekick in destruction, Ice Boy. If _anyone_ could cause magick to freaking _vanish_ for a thousand years and for the entirety of Fiore to rearrange itself, it would be those two _idiots_. He owed them both a good kick. But first he had to find his cat and the small blue woman that drove him up the wall.

"Goddammit." Gajeel stared at the cavern he'd just entered. It had several exits, some no bigger than a mouse hole, other's big enough for Metali-frickin'-cana. Scenting the air, he tried to figure out where they might be. _Finally_. He caught the scent of Levy-paper, books, and magick-along with his cat's. The tunnel the scent came from was on the smaller side, just barely tall enough to admit him, and just wide enough to allow him to breathe. Of course they would be down such a hole. It couldn't be the big cavern that could fit a dragon.

Nope.

Squeezing his way down the passage, he recalculated. While it was big enough to _breathe_ in, they had to be very shallow, controlled breaths. Cursing in his head, he inched his way down the passage, their scents getting stronger. He hoped this place opened up more. This was ridiculous! With a sniff, he noted the air was slightly fresher here too, just a bit of sweetness mixed with the dry, stale air. Maybe she'd found an exit? He hoped so. Bit by torturous bit, Gajeel made his way deeper into the crevice, noticing that it was widening ever so slightly every few feet. If that kept up, maybe he'd actually be able to scratch his nose, since of course, it was starting to itch.

Such things had excellent timing.

He could see it was brighter in head of him, and so he focused on that. It was, at this moment, his holy grail. When at last he came to a bigger cavern, he sighed in relief. He didn't want to do that again.

"Levy! Lily!" He called out, as loud as he dared. He didn't know if this part of the cavern was as weak as the others.

"Gajeel!" Levy's light, slightly out of breath voice reached him. He scanned the shadows for her, while relief he refused to acknowledge swept through him. The cavern was darker than its predecessors, bigger too. This cave, Gajeel noted, could fit a whole herd of dragons.

Flock?

He didn't know. And he didn't care. Pinpointing her voice, he strode over to her. He saw Lily perched on a rock first, and his relief was complete. They were both okay. He nodded at Lily, who gestured over to Levy. She was currently running her hand over the way, seeming to search for something.

"What are you doin'?" Gajeel asked, resisting the urge to scoop her up by the back of the neck.

"Looking for a way out." Levy didn't pause in her search. Gajeel looked at Lily for some type of explanation.

"Don't ask me." Lily shrugged.

"There's magick leaking out of this wall," Levy spoke suddenly. Gajeel studied the wall, and he noticed how the lights were slowly brightening. As if they were getting more power. Stepping over, he pressed a hand on the wall. Sure enough, magick flickered under his palm. Impressed, he grinned down at his smaller companion.

"Nice, Shrimp."

"I could've gone another, oh, five minutes, without hearing 'shrimp.'" Levy rolled her eyes, but she was blushing.

"I couldn't." Gajeel said plainly. "Okay, there's magick in the wall. How does that help us get out?"

"It doesn't." Levy muttered. "I was searching for a weakness in the wall when I felt the magick."

"Well now that I know where you're at, I can just blast outta here." Gajeel shrugged. He hadn't wanted to bury Levy and Lily, but with them with him, it wouldn't be a concern.

"Mass destruction. Excellent plan." Levy said with a laugh.

"I wouldn't destroy the magick wall, if you can help it." Lily added. "For all we know, this is one of the places that's restoring magick to the world."

"Lily's got a point." Levy tapped her chin, thinking. Her eyes were distant, and in the gloomy light, she appeared smaller than she was. More delicate. But like all Fairy Tail women, being 'delicate' wasn't that much of a concern. Despite her size, she was tough. He'd learned that in Fairy Tail, if you underestimated the women, you'd get your ass handed to you on a silver platter, all while eyelashes were batted.

The women in his guild sometimes terrified him.

"Maybe we should use a different cavern?" Levy frowned.

"No," Gajeel said sharply. "I ain't going back through that tiny excuse for a tunnel." Humor lit her face.

"Oh, I fit well enough."

"That's 'cause you're tiny enough to fit in my bag."

"Oh, not that again!"

"I believe," Lil interrupted dryly. "That this is where Juvia would step in and say 'they're flirting.'"

They both groaned, causing Lily untold pleasure. The crystals flickered suddenly, and lit the cavern in shocking, blinding light. Levy threw her hands over her eyes, and Gajeel winced. Lily blinked against the sudden brightness. Gajeel recovered first, taking in the cave. The crystals were everywhere, shooting out from the wall like earthen arms. They were tossed here and there, like a toddler's tantrum had launched them. His gaze settled on the middle of the room, and his heart dropped into his stomach.

 _No._

"Oh," Levy's distress was evident. "Oh, my god."

"Lily," Gajeel's voice was grave. "Get your sword."

* * *

Not a trap. Natsu was surprised by that. He'd no more than made it halfway to the museum when he'd spotted. The woman had nodded at him, and gestured him up the steps. Wary, he'd been on high alert. No lasers had fired, no guards had launched themselves frim secret hiding places, and nothing exploded. Confident, he'd increased his speed, figuring he could handle whatever these people threw at him. Until Minerva of all people had stepped out of the museum. He'd about lost his jaw it dropped so hard.

"Hello, Natsu." She smiled at him. "Looking for these?" In her hands, Lucy's keys jangled. He noted she had Yukino's on her belt.

"Yeah, thanks." Natsu had to admit, Minerva wasted _no_ time. Her clothes were obviously new, and she'd washed at some point because he could smell the soap on her. If she'd been talking to the Queen, it would make sense. He hoped she'd sorted things out. Mavis knew Minerva would explain it better than he ever could. Plus, she probably remembered more details than he did. A lot of it had been swept away by adrenaline and his own battle plans. He took the keys from her. "You the 'adviser' person?"

"Yes, I am." Minerva looked over at the older woman. "It seems that the Royal Family liked having...a relic of sorts to remind them of magick long gone. They were surprised to say the least when their relic awoke. I'm afraid I don't make a very good display."

Natsu remembered Jellal's little break out. He wisely swallowed the laugh when he thought of Minerva in the same position. She obviously didn't find it very funny. He wondered how many other people were in the same predicament. Eerily preserved mummies suddenly coming alive.

Talk about spreading panic.

"I've told the Queen all I know." Minerva continued. "She's sent a team to investigate all known magickal sites. If anyone's discovered, they're to be directed to the closest town. By noting down all the guild marks of people found, guild members will be able to meet up with each other. Dark Guild members, if they survived as well, will be denied their magickal items, and dealt with on a case by case basis."

"Sweet." Natsu brightened. "Fairy Tail's probably gonna meet up in Magnolia, since it's still here."

"I suspected as much," Minerva checked a small black device in her hand. "It seems that people have already been found. I don't see any of your guildmates yet."

Natsu shrugged, unconcerned. "Probably already headed out." He looked down at Lucy's keys. Tightening his grip on it, he wondered where Lucy was. "What's this?" Something felt off. There was something smaller than a key, and sharp in the key pouch. He reached into the pouch, and drew out a key. Only, it was only the handle. He recognized Aquarius' symbol. Something in him went cold as ice. "Minerva, why are one of the keys broken?" He held it up for her to see.

"What?" She stepped closer. "But...Yukino." She checked Yukino's keys, as if afraid one of them was broken. "Yukino told me the keys couldn't break."

"Obviously she was wrong." Anger boiled in him. Had this happened over their thousand year absence? His gaze snapped onto the onlooking woman. She recoiled. Obviously, she'd never seen a pissed of mage before.

"We...we found them like that." She said quickly. "Everything we find is cared for and treated with the utmost respect."

"Then _what happened?_ " Natsu tried to figure out when it could've happened. Why hadn't she _told_ him? They were partners. They couldn't hide things like this from each other. Her spirits were everything to her-friends, family, and trusted allies in battle. To lose one...She'd've been devastated. _When?_ Natsu tried to remember the last time he'd seen Aquarius. Now that he thought about it, she hadn't summoned the water spirit since he'd returned from training. And they'd been in situations where she could've summoned the cranky mermaid.

Which meant...Tartarus.

It would make sense, as pain swept stabbed into his heart, some kind of twisted symmetry. He'd lost his father, she'd lost a link to her mother. He gripped the key harder. He didn't know what happened, but he remember the feeling he'd had that Lucy had saved his ass during the battle. Was _this_ how she'd done it? She'd sacrificed _this_ to save them? It would be a Fairy Tail move. Hell, it'd be a Lucy move.

Dammit, where the hell was she? They needed to talk about this! Emotions churned in his gut. Gently, he pocketed the key pouch. Taking a cord, he looped it around Aquarius' key, throwing it over his neck. He wouldn't forget what she'd done for him, for all of them.

"Please," Minerva looked unnerved, something Natsu wasn't used too. "If you find out what happened to that key, could you warn Yukino? I don't want that to happen to her, too."

"I think it was an extreme situation." Natsu said. "But I'll tell her, or Lucy will. Keep me updated on people you find?"

"Of course," Minerva produced another slim device. "This is a highly advanced version of the Lacrima phone we had." She quickly and efficiently showed him how to use it. It wasn't what he was used to, and it seemed far too breakable to be trusted with him. He might accidentally light it on fire, or something. Now he really wished Happy was here. His little buddy could handle it. Lucy too. "Just click this button, and it'll give you the updates on who was found, and where."

"Thanks," Natsu handled the phone like a bomb. Yeah, he was totally going to break this thing. In the back of his mind, he was still thinking about the key that weighed like lead around his neck. "I'm sure Sabretooth's fine." He added when he saw a shadow on her face. She flipped her hair back, and confident smirk on her face.

"Of course. Do you think we'd be out done by you?" Minerva challenged.

"Probably not, but you're still second place." Natsu laughed, fangs glinting.

"We'll have to restart the Games, and see if that's still true." The idea sparked fire in Natsu's eye. He'd _love_ to go against Minerva, or hey, even Sting again. See how much the little punk had improved. Hell, he'd go against both the twins again, and remind 'em who was top dragon.

"We don't need no games. Once we get everyone back together, we'll fight you anytime, anyplace." Who needed formal games when you could just brawl? Plus, he'd be able to choose his own opponents that way.

"We'd be delighted. I think you'll find the Twins more of a challenge next time around." Minerva's eyes glinted. "And I'd love to go against Erza again. Just the two of us."

"There's no way Kagura would sit out of that." Natsu laughed. They'd have a three-way of them again. And wasn't that terrifying?

"I suppose not." Minerva smirked. She glanced down at her phone when it beeped. He heard his own go off as well. "Well, well, well. Fairy Tail makes an appearance after all. It seems some of your guildmates beat you to Magnolia."

He checked his phone. He saw a flash of white hair in the picture, while the front door to the guild was hastily closed.

"It seems someone tried to get it, and was only able to get this picture. The Queen's men haven't made it to the locations of the guildhalls yet, so I don't know who is there." Minerva pursed her lips. "It'd be helpful to have someone look and see, so we know who's still among the missing."

"I'm waiting for Lucy." Natsu was firm. Lucy would come. She'd have to, if she wanted her keys. And she would. She'd have to answer to _him_ on why she kept the broken key a secret. "And I need to find Happy. They might be together."

"I see." Minerva had mischief in her eyes. "Well, for be it from me to keep your exceed partner away from you. As for Lucy, well, I didn't know you and Miss. Heartfilia...were involved."

"We're just partners!" Natsu's protest was automatic, and yet his heart fluttered. It was tough being in love with your best friend/partner, and knowing she was looking for prince charming, not the fire breathing dragon. "'Sides, she needs to explain this." He tapped her key.

"Hmmm." Minerva checked her phone again. "Well, I'll let you know if they're found. I've got to go."

"C'ya," Natsu waved. He looked at the roof of the museum, judged the wind.

Perfect.

Minerva hadn't even walked away and Natsu was launching himself towards the roof, scaling the side of the building with ease. Popping up on the roof, he put his face into the wind. He needed to get a gauge, see if his partners were close by.

When he caught a scent, his smile was automatic.

* * *

 **I need to stop bouncing around so much, lol. It's hard to remember whose doing what. FAIRY TAIL JUST FIND EACH OTHER ALREADY...oh, wait, haha. That's my fault. Lol. So I hope your enjoying this, the gods know it's rough.**

* * *

 **GUEST REVIEWS:**

 **AnimalLover: You're welcome, as always. Yes! That's because I'm far ahead of you guys lol. I've only posted around 16,000 words, honestly. Gotta remember A/N's don't count for NaNo. Yes, he did. I knoowww. He's trying so hard. My cute ice bear. Maybe. XD.**

 **Yeahhhh. Magick be weird. OH GODS YES. DOOOOOOOOOOM. Hehe. I can be naughty. Yeah, I'm glad too. Yeah, he does. Like, explosions and saving-Erza entrance. Or something. Not that Erza tends to need saving. AGREED. Like, KICK SOME ASS JELLAL. KICK SOME SERIOUS ASS. Yeah, I don't much like 'em either, so we'll see. ANd that's true. Lots has happened!**


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